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Weekly Field Memo: Recent News and Items of Interest From the Agency

January 3, 2025
A Weekly Field Memo title graphic indicating the week of publication: January 3, 2025

Contents: January 3, 2025

Strategic Budgeting Professional Development Webinar Series

Audience: Education professionals
The Vermont Agency of Education, in collaboration with New Solutions K12, presents this professional development series about strategic budgeting for schools and school districts. There are ten sessions in total, recorded in December of 2024. More information and additional resources are available on the AOE website. View the webinar playlist on the AOE's YouTube channel.
Contact: Taylor Goodwin at taylor.goodwin@vermont.gov

Vermont Multi-Tiered System of Supports (VTmtss) Office Hours

Audience: Principals, Superintendents, SU/SD Administrators, Section 504 Coordinators, or anyone interested in learning more about Section 504 
Please join the VTmtss Office Hours, facilitated by the Agency of Education's Vermont Multi-tiered System of Supports Team. The series will focus on VTmtss updates, tools, processes, and systems to support the field, and will be held every third Thursday from 3-4 p.m. The next session will be held on January 16, 2025, and will focus on a review of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and related school practices. The session will highlight recent Section 504 guidance from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights. Please register for VTmtss Office Hours to receive information on how to join. 
Contact:  Meghan "MJ" Jaird at meghan.jaird@vermont.gov

2024-2025 Family Engagement Networking Series

Audience: Family Engagement Coordinators and Liaisons, School and District Administrators, Community Organization Personnel, School Counselors
Please join the 2024-2025 Family Engagement Networking Series: Family Engagement as a Strategy for Improving Belonging and Well-Being. These are informal monthly virtual sessions facilitated by the AOE Vermont Multi-Tiered System of Supports Team, for family engagement colleagues to connect, hear updates, learn of resources, share strategies, and discuss problems of practice regarding family engagement. The next session will be held on January 9, 2025, from 1-2 p.m., and is titled Building Bridges of Trust with Families: Communication Strategies and Schoolwide Practices. In this session we will explore the importance of healthy core beliefs about families, communication skills, as well as active listening, restorative justice, and trauma-informed practices.
Contact: Nancy Hellen at nancy.hellen@vermont.gov  

State Afterschool Grant Update

Audience: Superintendents, Principals, and Afterschool Directors 
As of December 18, 2023, at 11:59 PM, the application period for the Program Track State Afterschool Grant has closed. However, the Center Track Grant remains open for submissions via the Grants Management System until January 29, 2025. These grants aim to support the development and expansion of afterschool and summer programs. For assistance with accessing or submitting your application, please contact our support team. Thank you for your dedication to enhancing educational ​opportunities for youth.
Contact: Johannes Haensch at johannes.haensch@vermont.gov

ROPA Review Team Members Needed

Audience: Teachers and Administrators
The AOE is currently seeking teachers and administrators to serve on the Results Oriented Program Approval (ROPA) review teams next spring and summer. ROPA is the program that reviews educator preparation programs so that they can recommend their graduates for licensure. Most reviews last two days, and team members receive a $250 stipend, reimbursement for mileage, lodging, and meals while on the visit, and professional development credit toward license renewal. Most reviewers find it to be a very interesting and enjoyable process! If you’re interested, please email Ellen Cairns at ellen.cairns@vermont.gov.
Contact: Ellen Cairns at ellen.cairns@vermont.gov

 


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Questions? Email aoe.edinfo@vermont.gov.